This invention relates generally to electrical connectors and more specifically to electrical connectors which have a connector position assurance device to assure that mating electrical connectors are properly mated and locked together.
Electrical connectors which have such devices are already known in the prior art. See for instance U.S. Pat. No. 4,764,306 (Yurtin et al); U.S. Pat. No. 4,708,413 (Schroeder); U.S. Pat. No. 4,634,204 (Detter et al) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,370,013 (Niitsu et al); U.S. Pat. No. 4,906,204 (Metzger); U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,395 (Cope et al); U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,402 (Fink et al); U.S. Pat. No. 4,950,175 (Plyler et al); and U.S. Pat. No. 4,963,103 (Fink et al).
It is also known to provide electrical connectors with a "pump handle" lock arm, that is, a lock arm which is hinged or pivotally connected to the electrical connector midway between its ends. In such an arrangement, the forward end of the pump handle lock arm acts as the lock member while the rearward end acts as a release handle. When the release handle is depressed, the lock member is pivoted out of engagement with a cooperating lock nib of the mating connector. Electrical connectors having a connector position assurance device which operates in conjunction with a pump handle lock arm are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,708,413 (Schroeder); U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,402 (Fink et al); U.S. Pat. No. 4,950,175 (Plyler et al); and U.S. Pat. No. 4,963,103 (Fink et al) which are mentioned above.
The connector position assurance device that is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,402 (Fink et al) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,963,103 (Fink et al) comprises a tongue (114) that is sized to fit in a longitudinal groove (110) of the release handle portion of the pump handle lock arm when the lock arm is disposed in a properly locked position. The connector position device further includes a lock arm (116) that cooperates with a lock shoulder (108) of the release handle to lock the connector position assurance device in position.
This arrangement has some drawbacks. One drawback is that the interference between the tongue and the end of the release handle when the pump handle lock arm is cocked does not produce high resistance. This resistance that is produced is not sufficient to complete engagement of partially engaged electrical connectors nor is it sufficient to prevent improper installation of the connector position device in all instances. Thus it is possible to install the connector position device on partially engaged connectors thereby giving an illusion of the partially engaged connectors being fully mated. Another drawback is that it is possible to pre-install the connector position assurance device and then subsequently partially engage the electrical connectors.